Family and Education

b. 1781, 1st s. of Humphrey Sibthorp (afterwards Waldo Sibthorp*) by Susanna, da. of Richard Ellison, banker. educ. Louth g.s. 1791; Westminster 1797; Corpus, Oxf. 1800-4. unm. suc. fa. 1815.

Offices Held

Capt. R. South Lincs. militia 1804, maj. 1808, lt.-col. 1813.

Biography

In 1804 Sibthorp’s father, then Member for Lincoln, admonished him:

You have now taken your degree, and in doing so, have gratified my wishes. You leave college and academical life with character and credit ... May you resist every seduction from that honourable and dignified course.1

In 1814 when a vacancy arose at Lincoln, Sibthorp’s uncle Richard Ellison, who already had a seat elsewhere, sponsored him as candidate and he was returned unopposed.2 He was a most inconspicuous Member, apparently because of ill health. He took two months’ leave of absence, 20 Feb. 1816. No vote of his is known during that Parliament. In January 1818 a friend of his advised him that ‘a year or two’ in Italy would do his health more good than ‘quackery’ and that he should take ‘French leave’ of his constituents.3 It seems to have been believed that Sibthorp would not stand a contest in 1818,4 but he did, and headed the poll. He took six weeks’ leave of absence for ill health, 16 Mar., but voted with ministers against Tierney’s censure motion, 18 May 1819.

But alas! Sickness incapacitated him from paying that attention to his parliamentary duties which he so earnestly wished to pay. Colonel Sibthorp was an enthusiastic admirer of the principles of Mr Pitt, and consequently gave his support to the present ministry; yet he only supported those measures which his conscience assured him were for the good of his country. He was a true friend also to the doctrines and discipline of the Church of England, and those inroads which its pretended friends, but in reality its worst enemies are perpetually making upon it, were always discountenanced by him.5

He died 9 Mar. 1822.

Ref Volumes: 1790-1820

Author: R. G. Thorne

Notes

• 1. Lincs. AO, Sibthorp mss, 3 Sib. 1/15.
• 2. Ibid. 2 Sib. 6/5.
• 3. Ibid. 3 Sib. 1/16.
• 4. Wentworth Woodhouse mun. F49/52.
• 5. Gent. Mag. (1822), i. 281.